


Vodka

by F1_rabbit



Series: The ABCs of Winter [22]
Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Drinking, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-22
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-09-11 04:49:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8954260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F1_rabbit/pseuds/F1_rabbit
Summary: They're finished at the factory for the year, but it's their last night together before they head home for the winter, and Carlos knows exactly what he wants to do for fun.





	

Carlos was sitting on the bed in Dany's hotel room, it was the last night that they had together before they both went home for Christmas. The factory was now closed, work left behind them for another year as they finally got a chance to relax after a crazy year.

Dany was texting away, and Carlos couldn't help but smile as Dany stared at his phone with a soppy grin on his face. He was clearly in love, and Carlos was glad that something had worked out for him this year.

"Happy?" Carlos was flicking through the tv channels, but there wasn't really anything he wanted to watch

"Very." Dany smiled, slipping his phone into his pocket as he lay out next to Carlos. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"No." Carlos sat up, looking around for his shoes. "I want to go out, have some fun."

Dany gasped, and Carlos stared at him as he watched the idea form. "That street, the one with all the pubs, and the church."

Carlos frowned, the confusion showing as he tried to work out what Dany was talking about.

"You know, the one that the mechanics all do as a challenge when it's someone's birthday."

"Oh, that street." Carlos grinned, tonight was going to be fun.

It sounded simple, eighteen places that sold alcohol, eighteen drinks. But Carlos had never heard of anyone completing it. Ever.

They were strolling through the cool winter night, both of them rubbing their hands together to keep them warm, their thin gloves ineffective against the frost in the air.

"Ready for this?" Dany grinned, wiggling his eyebrows as Carlos grimaced, wondering if it was too late to change his mind, but he wanted fun, and Dany was definitely fun to go drinking with.

"Ready." Carlos stuck his tongue out, shivering as the cool air sent a chill down his spine, and they headed for bar number one.

Dany strode up to the bar, Carlos following as he made his way through the crowds. Away from race weekends hardly anyone noticed them unless they worked for Toro Rosso, and even then a lot of them didn't come up to chat once they were out of the factory.

"Two vodka Red Bulls." Dany smiled at the barman, who looked at them with concern. Pouring two shots before splitting a can of Red Bull between the glasses, pushing them towards Dany who left a ten euro note on the bar.

Carlos smiled, his quiver of his lips betraying his confidence as Dany handed him a glass, holding up so that they could toast.

"To a better year." Dany's voice was perfect for the sarcasm, and Carlos shook his head, his dark locks falling around his face as he did it.

"A better year."

The clink of the glasses sounded loud even in the crowded bar, and Dany downed his drink in one before waiting for Carlos to do the same.

Carlos gulped it down, the taste of the Red Bull hiding the alcohol, and the metallic hint made his stomach churn.

When he opened his eyes he saw that Dany was smiling, he genuinely looked happy, and he knew that there was no going back.

*

"Number six." Dany cheered as he held up his glass, yet another vodka Red Bull, and Carlos was glad that his taste buds seemed to have stopped functioning sometime after drink number four.

"To friends." Carlos smiled, holding his breath as he prepared to down his drink.

"To friends." Dany smiled, but there was something else rippling below the surface, and Carlos reached out to rest his hand on Dany's arm.

Carlos scrunched his eyes shut before feeling the burn as his drink went down.

Dany was staring at him, the smile a weak attempt at the grin that he'd had earlier.

"Thanks for being a friend, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have in my corner."

"Always. We're a team." Carlos wrapped his arms around Dany, squeezing him tight as he toppled into him, struggling to keep his balance as the rush of alcohol, caffeine, and sugar, made him feel dizzy.

"Team Dany." Dany's deep laugh made Carlos smile, and he stood back on his own two feet.

"Team Carlos." Carlos gave Dany a little shove, amazed that he was still steady on his feet after drinking so much.

"Team Bros." Dany put his fist out for Carlos to give it a bump, and they both laughed, transported back to their teenage days of hanging out and racing.

Carlos stumbled as they were leaving the bar, and Dany reached out to catch him.

"Ready for number seven?"

"Bring it on."

*

"Nine, cheers." Dany downed his drink without blinking, and Carlos took a deep breath before drinking his, sipping it as the bubbles fizzed up his nose, making him twitch.

Carlos was studying the can of Red Bull while Dany was in the bathroom, and he noticed something that he'd never seen before.

_Do not drink with alcohol._

"Dany, have you seen this?" Carlos pointed at the tiny letters, and Dany squinted to read it.

"We've been drinking this since we were teenagers, it hasn't killed us yet."

"This would be an awful way to go." Carlos slumped against the bar, Dany's arm slung over his shoulders.

"It seems a fitting death." Dany laughed, and Carlos let out a little groan. "Let's get some food."

Dany wrapped an arm around his waist, holding him steady as they traversed the cobbled street, heading towards the little kiosk with the most amazing smelling food.

Carlos ate his panelle, the greasy food doing its job and soaking up all the alcohol as he devoured it.

"This is so good."

"Having fun?"

Carlos cheered, sitting in the cool air had sobered him up. He was wide awake and ready for action.

*

"Fourteen, no wait, is this fourteen or fifteen?"

Dany rushed to the door, sticking his head out as Carlos watched in confusion. The bars were quieter now, in just over an hour they'd probably all be shut, and they could stagger back to the hotel to watch movies.

"There's three more left, so this must be fifteen."

Carlos nodded, his mind no longer fit for even simple maths, and he held up his glass for another toast.

"I love you man."

"I love you too, bro."

Dany was sipping at his drink, as Carlos swayed on the spot.

"Ready to call it a night?"

"Not yet."

Carlos gasped when the cool air stung at his cheeks, taking his breath away, but he was glad for the moment of clarity.

This might be one of the last times that they got to hang out like this. Dany seemed serious about his new girlfriend, and he knew how these things usually worked out.

He was the one that got forgotten about.

*

"The final round." Dany had convinced the barman to serve them even though they were shutting, and Carlos looked at the drink suspiciously.

"The final round." Carlos wrinkled up his nose as he downed the last drink, wondering why he'd ever thought that this was a good idea.

Dany took the empty glass out of his hands, setting it down on the bar as he thanked the barman, and he helped Carlos zip up his jacket before leading them back towards their hotel.

They strolled through the empty streets, it felt like they were the only two people awake, and Carlos stopped walking so that he could talk.

"Promise me that we'll still hang out, even when things get serious with your girlfriend." Carlos ended up resting his head against Dany's shoulder, his muscles unwilling to keep him upright.

"One day you will be the best man at my wedding." Dany laughed, and Carlos nodded, still slumped against him.

"Promise you won't forget me?"

"Never."

"Best friends forever." Dany laughed, and Carlos laughed too.

"Best friends forever."

He was sure that once they sobered up it would all be forgotten about, but it was nice just to hear those words. To know that he wouldn't be forgotten about.

*

Once they sobered up, it was never spoken of again, but they didn't need to. They were friends through it all, new loves, disastrous break ups, moving series, and countries, but the one thing that never changed was their friendship.

Dany kept his promise, and he never forgot him. Even when they were busy, they still made time for each other.

Carlos was glad to have someone he could always talk to, and no matter how long it had been since they'd last spoken, the conversation was easy, quickly feeling like they'd never been apart.

***

Years later, as the grey hairs started to catch up with him, Carlos got a letter. An actual letter for the first time in years.

It was an invitation to Dany's wedding, with a note attached.

_I promised you that one day you'd be the best man at my wedding. The job's all yours, if you want it._

**Author's Note:**

> *and obviously none of this actually happened, it is all a figment of my twisted imagination ;)


End file.
